A Request
by vanerz
Summary: Kidou may be a tactical genius, but even he needs help from Gouenji sometimes. Secret Santa gift for Secret Sakka 2017!


**Notes:** This was my gift to fanfictionbymimnim on Tumblr for Secret Sakka 2017. Thanks to my Gouenji expert friend Ise (tsuri-ouji on Tumblr) and my awesome nuance picker upper friend Clem (luciferTM on AO3) for reading an earlier version and giving their thoughts, it helped a lot to refine the portrayal of Gouenji especially.

* * *

 **A Request**

It was, for all intents and purposes, a normal session of club practice, but the way with which Kidou approached Gouenji at the end of it was anything but.

"Kidou, you need something?"

The sense of purpose with which Kidou was striding towards him unnerved Gouenji slightly. Had something happened in practice that he'd missed? Did Kidou still have some pent-up energy left to burn? Normally, Gouenji would be happy to kickabout with Kidou a bit more after practice, but today was a little dicey, since the party was tomorrow and unless he wanted to disappoint Yuuka he had to go and…

"Hey, Gouenji," Kidou said, and was that a hint of hesitation in his voice? The last time Gouenji remembered Kidou sounding this unsure had been back in second year, right after Teikoku had lost to Zeus. It was not exactly a time he wanted to revisit.

"What's up, Kidou?" Gouenji asked again, because Kidou definitely had something he wanted to say, but seemed to be having trouble getting the words out. No lie, it was getting a little weird.

Kidou's expression turned rueful. Every brain cell Gouenji possessed was yelling now that this entire situation was strange _and_ he really needed to go, but it was too late. He was well and truly involved in Kidou's current predicament. Whatever it was, anyway.

"I have something to ask you," Kidou finally said. His words were confident, like he was giving the team a pre-match briefing. If it wasn't for the long pause that preceded his words, Gouenji would have been fooled. Instead he was confused.

"Ask away."

"I plan to get Haruna a Christmas present." The words spilled out of Kidou's mouth, and he almost stumbled over them. Seeing their normally capable tactician like this was unexpected, to say the least.

"That's great," Gouenji said. Otonashi would appreciate that. What a nice thing for Kidou to do. Was this what he had been trying so hard to say? "What're you getting her?"

"That's the thing," Kidou said, frowning. "I have absolutely no idea. I need your help."

What? That Gouenji could be an authority on what to gift Haruna was news to him. "Kidou," Gouenji said, as gently as he could, "I barely know your sister."

"Yes, but you get yours gifts all the time, you must have an idea."

"Kidou," Gouenji said, half-tempted to look for hidden cameras around them. Kidou coming to him for such a simple thing had to be a prank. "Yuuka's eight. Haruna-san is only one year younger than us. It's completely different, you know?"

"Of course I know that! Are you going to help or not?" A faint blush coated the tips of Kidou's ears, and he gave Gouenji an indignant look that Gouenji was more charmed than reprimanded by, not that he would ever admit that, of course.

"Kidou." Gouenji put his right thumb and index finger to the bridge of his nose as he thought of how best to phrase it. "It's just a matter of thinking what she would like. It's not that hard." You had to be a pretty rubbish brother not to understand that much, was what Gouenji wanted to add but thought better of. He wasn't the one who had been separated from his sister for 8 years, after all.

In that context, Kidou's uncertainty was understandable and almost even adorable.

Gouenji let his hand fall back down to his side.

"Fine."

"Fine what?" Kidou's tone was dubious.

Gouenji didn't deign to answer him directly. "I was just heading to the shopping district to see if I could get something for Yuuka. Want to come?"

* * *

To say the shopping district was packed was an understatement. The throng of shoppers had them fighting just to stay standing, and the jostling of the crowd rivalled the most annoying defence Gouenji had ever faced on the pitch.

When he had carved out his position on the avenue, he looked around for Kidou and managed to grab hold of his sleeve just before the crowd pushed him to the other side of the street.

Kidou's eyes were hidden by his goggles, but his dreadlocks were askew and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. "It wasn't this busy the last time we were here."

"It is the day before Christmas," was all Gouenji had to say. Of course it would be busy today, now that he thought about it! If he had known, he would have come earlier. He'd never procrastinate buying Christmas gifts ever again.

"I… see," Kidou said. He probably didn't come to Inazuma Town much to shop, since he could just ask his butler to get whatever he wanted. Actually, it was the same with Gouenji and his housekeeper, but since Kidou had been the one to ask him for help he didn't want to appear inexperienced. Kidou wouldn't figure out that he wasn't familiar with the area either, not over his dead body.

To give the impression that he had visited the shopping district more than once since the last time they'd come, with Endou to the candy store, Gouenji craned his neck upwards and looked around. A multitude of different stores dotted the street, the signs a healthy mix of old and new. It was surprising that such a street still existed in Inazuma Town. Places like this had been fading for many years, or at least that was what his father said on the rare occasions they went out together.

"So," Kidou said, sounding a bit less overwhelmed now. "What are you getting Yuuka-chan?"

Gouenji shrugged. "I'll just get another stuffed toy. Yuuka's really into rabbits right now." Where he would get it was the question, but there had to be a toy shop somewhere in the area.

"That must be nice, to have something you know your sister will like no matter what."

Ah, yes… at the corner at the end of the road, Gouenji could just make out a sign saying 'Toys Terao'. There we go. But before that, he had something to clear up.

"Look, Kidou," Gouenji said, turning to him and looking him in the goggles. "It's not like that. I know I said to get Otonashi-san what she would like, but that's not all there is to it. You're the one giving the gift, aren't you? It's a two-way street."

He set off towards the store, and Kidou fell in step behind him, protesting all the while.

"What are you saying? What's the point of buying something Haruna won't like?"

"Obviously don't buy something she'll hate." When Gouenji woke up this morning he sure hadn't expected that he would be giving Kidou, of all people, a dose of sibling counselling today. "But don't feel too much pressure to get the perfect present. Wait, look." He pointed at a particularly distinguished-looking storefront, with muted wood décor washed darkly brown and a white sign engraved with calligraphy reading 'Shirousagi Honpo'. Kidou liked sweets, didn't he? "See that place?"

"Oh, I know that brand," Kidou said without missing a beat. "Delicious confections. I love their snow rabbit rice cakes. Father has boxes of the stuff at home all the time. I'm surprised there's a branch here in Inazuma Town."

Sometimes it was unbelievable how Kidou could be such a rich kid. "Well, what I'm trying to say is, if you got a box of sweets, and picked the ones you wanted Otonashi-san to try, I think she would really appreciate it."

"Hmm." A frown crossed Kidou's face again. "Really?"

"Really," Gouenji assured him. "As long as you put true thought behind it, it'll shine through. Otonashi-san is observant. She'll understand your feelings."

"Perhaps," Kidou said, but he was already walking towards the store. Clearly he was now a man on a mission. Gouenji tapped him on the shoulder, gave him a wave that went unreciprocated, and went to buy Yuuka's present.

* * *

After their first practice after Christmas, Gouenji waited for Kidou to emerge from the changing room.

"How'd it go?" To be honest, if Gouenji were Otonashi-san he would have been happy to receive anything from that expensive store.

"I did as you said," Kidou replied. He was smiling, which was a good sign. "I picked out twelve sweets I thought she would enjoy."

"And?"

"She loved them. She sent me a text message this morning saying they tasted really good. Thank you for the suggestion."

Gouenji returned his smile with a lazy one of his own. "Glad to help."

"How'd you know it'd be perfect?"

"Well…" Gouenji trailed off. Perfect was a strong word. It had been luck, honestly, that they'd happened to pass that store, but it hadn't been all luck, either. "Well, I know you like food. The whole team knows after that time we went to Coach Hibiki's and you looked about to confess to your ramen."

"That did not happen," Kidou interjected, but Gouenji ignored him and continued, "And you two are siblings after all. Not too big of a leap."

After a silence that stretched a bit too long, Gouenji glanced over at Kidou. He was frowning, but Gouenji knew him well enough to figure out that he was just deep in thought.

Eventually, Kidou said, "Thank you, Gouenji."

Against his will, the edge of Gouenji's lips tugged up into a wry smile. "Anytime."

* * *

 **Notes:** Sometimes it was unbelievable how Kidou could be such a rich kid, Gouenji thought, without realising that he, too, was a rich kid. Oh well! Merry Christmas!


End file.
